Time-lock



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H.- (moss;

TIME LOOK.

No. 321,893. Patented July 7. 1885.

2 sheets-sheet 2; H. GROSS.

(No Model.)

TIME LOOK.

Patented July -'7. 1885.

NITEYD STATES PATENT Qrrrct HENRY GROSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TIME-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,893, dated July 7,1885.

' Application filed February 5, 1855. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY GRoss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Locks, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My present invention has for its object, first, to provide a simple and effective construction of time-lock suitable for general use in connection with the lock mechanism or boltwork of safes and vaults, and, second, to arrange the time-lock mechanism within a suitable casing of such form that it may be applied and used as one of the tumblers of an ordinary permutation-lock.

By my present improvements a time-lock is produced which will occupy but little of the valuable space within the safe, a feature of importance, particularly when a time-lock is desired in connection with the inner burglarproof chest of an ordinary fire-proof safe or vault.

These objects of invention I have accomplished by the mechanism hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying d rawings, and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In Figures 1- to 8 of the drawings I have illustrated my invention in the form especially adapted for use as one of the series of tumblers of a permutatioulook, although it will be readily'understood that in the form there shown it may also be used in connection with other than permutation-locks.

In Fig. 9 the invention is shown as applied for dogging bolt-work of a safe.

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved timelock on an enlarged scale. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the time-look, looking down up on the notch in the periphery of the casing. Fig. 4 is a sectional view in plan. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section showing the escapement mechanism of the time-movement. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional elevation of a modification in construction. Fig. 7 is asectional plan of the modification shown in Fig. 6. Fig. Sis a plan of the modification shown in Figs. 6

and 7. Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation showing my improved time-lock as applied for dogging the bolt-work of a safe or vault door. Figs. 9 and 9 are modifications.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a hollow. disk, one of the side walls and the peripheral wall being formed in one piece, and the other side wall being in the shape of a lid or cover arranged to be secured to the peripheral wall by screws or otherwise. This hollow disk is provided with a central hub, a, suitably bored .to fit a stud or shaft, upon which the disk may rotate. This hub is preferably formed of the same piece that composes the one side and peripheral wall of the disk, and extends through a close-fitting aperture in the side wall that forms the lid to the disk. In the periphery of the disk is formed a notch or depressioma, and the peripheral wall is accordingly depressed at this point, so that the notch shall not extend through it to the interior of the disk. This notch extends entirely across the face of the periphery from face to face of the disk. Secured to each side or face of the disk and at right angles thereto is a pin, a Thus constructed the disk is adapted to be employed as one of a series of tumblers in a permutation-look, to be secured to revolve on its hub a upon the tumbler-stud to receive motion from contiguous tumblers or drive-wheel through pins a and to engage the lock-dog in common with other tumblers by means of notch a, to permit the unlocking of the lock-bolt. The pins a are shown in the drawings as secured in permanent position to the disk or tumbler; but it is obvious, if it is desired to vary the number upon which the tumbler is setthat is, the number upon the lock-dial which, when brought in line with a fixed mark upon the safe-door, will indicate that the notch a in the tumbler A is in position to engage the lockdog-that the said pins a may be made adj ustable in their relationship to the notch a in any preferred manner, such as by being socured to adjustable yokes on the disk, or by means of a series of screw-threaded holes in the disk, into any of which they may be inserted.

So long as the notch a remains unobstructed or clear and free to engage the lock-dog when were blanked off or obstructed so that the lock-dog could not engage with or drop into it, then the lock could not be unlocked or opened. I have therefore provided the disk with a movable device, which I call a de IO tent, that can be thrown into position to obstruct the notch and withdrawn to free it. This device is preferably held in position to obstruct the notch by means of a spring, and it is withdrawn to free the notch by the action of a time-movement located within the disk,

the time of withdrawal being determined by the number of hours the time-movement is set to run.

The detent for obstructi ng the notch consists,

preferably, of a lever, B, secured to rotate upon the hub a of the disk, and having a length equal to the radius of the disk. The outer end of this detent or lever is dressed to conform to the curve of the periphery of the disk,

1-. and it has a width equal to the notch a, in

front of which it rotates. It is guided near its outer end, so as to rotate close to the face of the disk, by means of a bridge-plate, b, which also limits its amount of rotation from a position directly in front of and in line with the notch a to a position in which it will just clear the notch. It is held in position on the hub and against the face of the disk by means of a flanged thiinhle, b, that passes through the hub, and is secured thereto by a ,screw thread, as shown in the drawings, or it may be secured by a spring-collar forced into a groovein thehub. C is a leaf-spring secured by one end rigidly to the face of the disk, the

other end being free to engage the detent or lever B, which it acts upon to force or rotate to a position in front of the notch a. Extending radially from the pivotal point oflever B is a small arm, b, with which the time-movement 43 engages, and when two movements are employed this arm is duplicated by one in a po sition diametrically opposite through the pivotal point of the lever.

The ti me-movcment, as aforesaid, is located 3 within the disk,and consists of the usual mainspring and barrel, train of gear-wheels, and cscapement mechanism. The mainspring D is secured by one end to a stud, E, fastened rigidly to the case A, and the other end is made fast to an inclosing-barrel, (Z. The barrel is secured rigidly to a shaft, F, which revolves in bearings in the end of stud E and in the opposite wall of the case A, beyond which latter bearing it projects a short distance, and

6 is provided with a squared end to engage the winding key. Secured loosely upon the shaft F is the first of the series of gear-wheels that transmit the power of the mainspring to the escapement. This gear-wheel G is provided with a pawl, 9, that engages with a ratchet wheel, (1, upon the spring-barrel, which arrangement transmits the power of the spring to the cscapement while preventing the backward rotation of the movement when the spring is being wound up.

The train of gears is so designed that an escapement making, preferably, five beats per second, or eighteen thousand per hour, shall permit the spring-shalt F to make not more than one revolution in forty-eight hours, that being the longest period of time it is desired the movement shall run without being reset. The index-hand H is secured to the shaft F, outside the case A, and sweeps over a dial secured to the case and divided into forty-eight equal divisions, representing, at the rate the movement runs, as many hours of time. These spaces are marked progressively in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of the indexdiand from zero up to l'orty-eight, so that the index-hand will progress toward. zero when the movement is running, and the movement will be prevented from running after the index-hand has reached the zero mark by a suitable stop.

The spring D is designed of such strength, and is so wound when the movement is mounted, that it shall have suliicient strength when the index-hand is at zero to overcome the resistance of the spring 0 and force the lever B from its position in front of the notch a; and hence the movement will be always wound up ready for action, it being only necessary, in order to set it and start it running, to rot-ate the shaft backward until the index hand, moving simultaneously away from the zero-point, shall indicate on the dial the number of hours it will take to return to thezcro-point, and which it is desired by the operator that the movement shall run before acting upon the detent or lever B. Secured rigidly upon shaft F, outside the case A, is a lever, which, as shown in the drawings, is merely an extension, h, of the indexfinger H, and this lever, when the index-hand approaches zero, comes in contact with the short arm b of lever B, and acts to transmit the power of thelspring of the time-movement to said lever to force it from its normal position in front of the notch a in the disk. It is evident, also, that the time-movement, acting through lever it, will hold the lever B from a position in front of notch a until such time as the shaft F is rotated backward in the act of resetting the movement, and that then the lever B will return, by virtue of spring 0, to its former position in front of notch a,and act to prevent the unlocking of the permutation-lock by preventing theloek-dog from engaging with said slot, as heretofore explained.

If found desirable, the lever B b may be secured upon the hub (1. inside the case A, and the operating-lever also located within the case, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8. It would then be necessary to form a slot, a in the pe ripheral wall of the case of sufficient extent to permit the proper travel of the lever B from a position in the notch a to a position beyond and clear of the notch. lt mightalso be found desirable to locate the index-finger H and its dial inside the case, and provide a glass-covered opening in the case, through which to view the dial. The escapement and regulating lever of the movement are located opposite an opening in the case, and are covered with a removable glass cap, at

There are two complete and independent timeunovements located within the case A, which are exact duplicates, and it will be observed by reference to Fig. 1 that the springs of the two movements are located in the case in positions diametrically opposite and at equal distances from the center of the case, and that, likewise, all corresponding parts of both movements are diametrically opposite each other and at equal distances from the center of the case, so that the two movements eX- actly counterbalance each other, and the case or disk A will consequently be in perfect poise and remain in any position to which it may be rotated upon its hub, which balance is most desirable to make the disk answer the purposes of a permutation-tumbler. 13y thus constructing and adapting the time lock mechanism to its casing in such wise that this latter may be employed as one of the series of tumbler-disks of the permutation-lock, it be comes practicable to attach the entire time mechanism by simply replacing it for one or more of the disks of the permutation series. No special fittings of a costly nature are requisite, while the form of the timemovement renders it of simple construction and inexpensive to make. The advantages arising from conjoint use of a time and permutation lock are manifestly attained, even though the space available on the safe-door would not admit of the application thereto of separate time and permutation locks as ordinarily organized.

But the improvements in the time lock mechanism are not limited in benefit or util ity to the special structure of parts heretofore detailedthat is to say, it is not requisite that the casing A of the time-lock should constitute one of the disks of the permutation series. Thus, for example, the casing A, with its contained mechanism, might be freely mounted upon and at theend of the stud or shaftof the permutation-lock, the projecting pins a being removed, and the casing held permanently in place to the lid or frame of the latter-named lock. Under such plan the casing A would no longer unite or coact in series with the tumbler-disks as such, and yet when these latter had been operated in usual manner to bring their notches in alignment the notch in casing A standing opposite thereto would be uncovered at proper intervals by shift of the detent B, permitting the lock-dog to engage all of the said notches, and thus to release the bolt-work from the dogging action.

A still further modification, not involving a departure in invention, is shown by Figs. 9, 9*, and 9" of the drawings. In this form the casing A, as usual, contains within it the timelock mechanism, which is arranged and operates precisely as already described to actuate at predetermined interval the shifting or pivoted detent B. The casing A, instead of being mounted about or upon the spindle of the permutation-lock, is secured directly to the back of the safe-door, as at a, by a stout pin passing through the thimble 1), Figs. 1 and 4. In locked position the detent B covers the notch 64' of the casing; but when the period for which the time-lock is set has expired the index-extension h on spring-shaft F contacts with the lug or short arm I) of the detent and forces the latter aside, as against the tension of the leaf-spring 0, thus exposing the notch a, into which at once drops, by gravity, the

end of the arm t of the lever I. This lever I consists of the two parts or arms, 2' i pivoted together about the sustaining-pin a secured to the safedoor. The arm 2' is forked at its pivot end to embrace the hub-like terminal 8 of the arm i, there being lugs 9 on the forks of arm 2', which contact with the lug 10, projecting from the hub 8. A slot or offset, 11, in the bolt L is adapted to be engaged by the dogging end of the arm 2" to hold the boltwork in locked position, as will hereinafter appear.

Fig. 9 of the drawings shows the parts in relation just as the time-lock has run its course and has shifted the detent B, so that the gravity-arm i may drop into the exposed notch a of the casing A. In accomplishing this fall the lugs 9, moving radially about pivot a, engage the lug 10, so that the arms 4. i become practically one system rotating upon said pin a The superior weight of the arm z, and the slight momentum acquired by it before the lugs 9 10 contact, raises the arm t" free from the slot 11, whereupon the bolt-work may be shot and the door swung open.

In shifting the bolt-work to open the door (dotted lines) the solid face of bolt L slides beneath the upraised dogging end of arm 2', holding said arm against any return-to its dogging position, even though the arm i be lifted from the notch a, and thereby the lugs 9 be swung clear from their counter-bearing upon lug 10. This lifting of the arm z from notch a actually occurs in practice after the time-lock is set, and just as the safe-door is to be closed. The arm t, being raised from out of the notch, allows spring 0 to shift the detent B back again to cover the notch, in which situation the end of arm t will rest upon the top of the detent in position indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 9. At this juncture the two arms or members t t" oflever I occupy the relation shown by full lines, Fig. 9, the arm i be ing upraised and resting at its end against the solid face of bolt L. The safe-door being closed and the bolt-work shot brings the slot 1.1 back again opposite to the end of arm '5, which latter immediately drops thereinto to dog the bolt-work, a slight spring, as at 12, bearing upon the arm to aid the initial movement.

In practice the dogging end of arm i should snugly abut at one side against the frame L, and at the opposite against the face of slot or offset 11, by which means end play is avoided, and the pivot-pin is relieved from all strain, such as might otherwise result if leverage were brought to bear upon the spindle 13 of the bolt-work to force the parts from their fastenings.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a time lock, the combination, with a notched inclosing-casing and a pivoted springdetent connected thereto for obstructing the operation ofa lock in substantially the manner shown, of one or more time-movements provided with stops to engage with said detent, substantially as described.

2. A supplemental tumbler for a permutation-lock having a notch therein to receive the lock-dog, a suitable detent for obstructing said notch, and clock-work for controllingthe movement of said dctent, inclosed within said tumbler, substantially as described.

3. A time attachment for permutation-locks having a circular disk-shaped case provided with a central hub, a peripheral notch, and driving-pins located on its sides, in combina tion with a movable springdetent to automaticall y obstruct the peripheral notch in the case, and clock-work for operating said detent, located within the case, substantially as described.

4. In a time attachment for permutationlocks, the combination of the clock-work, a circular inclosing-case, A, provided with hub a, peripheral notch a, and driving-pin a and a pivoted detent, B, journaled 011 the hub of the case, and a spring, 0, substantially as described.

5. In atime attachment Forloelzs, the combination, with the circular disk-shaped casing provided with the peripheral notch and central hub, of a pivoted detent and two independent time-movements for engaging with said detent, located Within the ease, and having their corresponding parts diametrically opposite each other through the center of the case and at equal'distances therefrom, substantially as described.

6. In a time-lock, the combination, with a shifting or movable detent, of the clock-work adapted to engage therewith, and the casing inclosing said clock-work, and provided with a notch extending across its periphery, and adapted to be obstructed by said shifting detent, substantially as described.

HENRY GROSS.

Vitnesses:

J AMES H. Pnmon, EDWIN XV. NEFF. 

